BILL NUMBER: AB 1242	CHAPTERED  10/10/99

	CHAPTER   737
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   OCTOBER 10, 1999
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   OCTOBER 7, 1999
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   SEPTEMBER 10, 1999
	PASSED THE SENATE   SEPTEMBER 9, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   SEPTEMBER 9, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   SEPTEMBER 2, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 26, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   JUNE 29, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 3, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   APRIL 12, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Lempert

                        FEBRUARY 26, 1999

   An act to amend Section 44253.8 of, and to add and repeal Section
44259.8 of the Education Code, relating to teacher credentialing.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1242, Lempert.  Teacher credentialing:  California Preliminary
(CAP) credential.
   Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to
charge examination fees that are sufficient to recover the costs of
developing and administering examinations for teachers to demonstrate
competence in the skills necessary to instruct
limited-English-proficient pupils and to earn a certificate of
bilingual-crosscultural competence.
   This bill would, in addition to the fees collected pursuant to the
above, authorize the commission to establish and collect fees to
recover its costs for the administration of any assessment of
teaching competence adopted by the commission, unless the costs are
recovered by appropriations from another source.
   Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to
issue an eminence credential to any person who has achieved eminence
in a field of endeavor taught or service practiced in the public
schools of California. This credential authorizes teaching or the
performance of services in the public schools in the subject, subject
area, or service, and at the level or levels, approved by the
commission as designated on the credential.
   This bill would require the commission, until January 1, 2005,
upon the recommendation of the governing board of a school district,
to issue a California Preliminary (CAP) credential to any person who
displays knowledge and expertise in a subject area as demonstrated by
the qualifications of possession of a postbaccalaureate or graduate
degree in one of a number of specified subjects, 5 or more full-time
equivalent years of practice in the field for which the
postbaccalaureate or graduate degree was awarded, and basic skills
proficiency.  This credential would be a preliminary single subject
teaching credential and would authorize teaching in the subject or
subject area, or the performance of services, approved by the
commission and designated on the credential.  The bill would require
the governing board of the school district electing to recommend a
person for a CAP credential to enroll candidates for the CAP
credential in a preservice training program that is aligned with the
California Standards for the Teaching Profession and to develop an
individual program of professional preparation consisting of no less
than 150 hours of study for each candidate to pursue professional
development.  The bill would require each recipient of the CAP
credential to complete the preservice training program before
providing classroom instruction.  The credential would be issued
initially for a 2-year period upon completion of certain requirements
and could be renewed for an additional 2-year period upon completion
of certain requirements, after which the holder would be eligible
for a professional clear teaching credential.
   The bill would require the commission to report to the Legislature
by February 1, 2004, on the number of credentials issued in each
subject, the retention rates of candidates who receive a CAP
credential, and recommendations for improvement to the program.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:
   (1) California needs between 250,000 and 300,000 teachers in the
next 10 years.
   (2) Other states have initiated signing bonuses of one thousand
dollars ($1,000) to twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) in order to
attract new teachers to the teaching profession.  California must
also be aggressive in its effort to recruit, train, and retrain
professionals in the teaching profession and to reduce barriers to
entering the teaching profession, while maintaining high standards of
competency for teachers.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to allow highly qualified
teaching candidates the opportunity to enter the teaching profession
with relative ease and to ensure that teaching candidates are truly
competent professionals prior to obtaining a professional clear
teaching credential.
  SEC. 2.  Section 44253.8 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   44253.8.  (a) For the examinations required by Sections 44253.5
and 44253.7, the commission shall charge examination fees that are
sufficient to recover the costs of developing and administering the
examinations, including the costs of periodic studies of the
examinations, except to the extent that these costs are recovered by
appropriations from another source of funds.
   (b) In addition to the fees collected pursuant to subdivision (a),
within the limits set forth in this chapter, the commission may
establish and collect fees to recover its costs for the
administration of any assessment of teaching competence adopted by
the commission to implement the provisions of this chapter, unless
the costs are recovered by appropriations from another source of
funds.
  SEC. 3.  Section 44259.8 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   44259.8.  (a) Upon the recommendation of the governing board of a
school district, the commission shall issue a California Preliminary
(CAP) credential to any person who displays knowledge and expertise
in a subject area as demonstrated by all of the following
qualifications:
   (1) Possession of a postbaccalaureate or graduate degree in a
subject specified in Section 44257 from a regionally accredited
institution of higher education.
   (2) Five or more full-time equivalent years of practice in the
field for which the postbaccalaureate or graduate degree was awarded.

   (3) Basic skills proficiency as measured by the test adopted
pursuant to Section 44252.
   (b) The CAP credential is a preliminary single subject teaching
credential.  The CAP credential shall authorize teaching in the
subject or subject area, or the performance of services, approved by
the commission and designated on the credential.  The commission
shall also approve and designate on the credential the grade level or
levels for which the teaching or service authorization is valid.
   (c) The governing board of a school district electing to recommend
a person for the CAP credential shall do the following:
   (1) Enroll candidates for the CAP credential in a preservice
training program for a minimum of 40 hours of pedagogical training
that is aligned with the California Standards for the Teaching
Profession.  A candidate for the CAP credential shall complete this
training before providing classroom instruction.  The preservice
training program shall include the following:
   (A) Preparation in classroom management and organization.
   (B) Grade-level curriculum content and instructional models and
strategies.
   (C) Pupil assessment practices.
   (D) Literacy development in the subject to be authorized on the
credential.
   (E) Equity, access, and diversity training.
   (F) Appropriate instructional strategies for English language
learners and pupils with special needs.
   (2) Develop an individual program of professional preparation
consisting of not less than 150 hours of study for each candidate to
pursue professional development in the areas specified in
subparagraphs (A) to (F), inclusive, of paragraph (1) and designed to
assist the candidate in passing the assessment specified in
paragraph (2) of subdivision (e).
   (3) Require each recipient of the CAP credential to complete the
preservice training program specified in paragraph (1) and the
preparation program specified in paragraph (2).
   (d) Each CAP credential shall be issued initially and renewed for
the following periods of time pending completion of the requirements
of this section:
   (1) The CAP credential shall be valid for two years to allow for
completion of the requirements of subdivision (e).
   (2) Upon the completion of the requirements of subdivision (e),
the CAP credential shall, upon application, be renewed for two
additional years to allow for completion of the requirements of
subdivision (f).
   (3) Upon completion of the two-year renewal period and completion
of the requirements of subdivision (f), the holder of a CAP
credential shall be eligible, upon application, for a professional
clear teaching credential.
   (e) Holders of a CAP credential shall meet the following
requirements prior to receiving a two-year renewal of the CAP
credential:
   (1) Completion of the individual program of professional
preparation offered pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).
   (2) Demonstration of basic pedagogical skills by passing the
teacher performance assessment that is adopted by the commission
pursuant to Section 44320.2.
   (f) Holders of a renewed CAP credential shall meet the following
additional requirements prior to obtaining a professional clear
credential:
   (1) Participation in a two-year induction program, as specified in
paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 44259 or Section
44279.1, that is designed to extend the teacher's prior preparation
and help the teacher prepare for the assessment requirement of
paragraph (2).
   (2) Demonstration of teaching competence by passing an assessment
of the depth and breadth of the teacher's pedagogical knowledge,
skills, and abilities that shall be adopted for this purpose by the
commission.
   (3) Establishment of subject matter competence pursuant to
paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 44259.
   (g) The commission may not accept new applications for the CAP
credential after January 1, 2005.
   (h) The commission shall report to the Legislature by February 1,
2004 on the following:
   (1) The number of CAP credentials issued in each subject specified
in Section 44257.
   (2) The retention rates of candidates who receive a CAP
credential.
   (3) Recommendations for improvements to the CAP credential
program.
   (i) This section shall remain in effect until January 1, 2005, and
as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is
enacted before January 1, 2005, deletes or extends that date.
